JP2003037913A - Electrical connection box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress a shake of a cover. SOLUTION: An upper cover 13 is installed from the upper part corresponding to a lower cover 12 which contains a main body 11 inside. The upper cover 13 has a lock piece 18 and a lock arm 19 which are hooked respectively in a lock lug part 20 and a lock part 21 installed on the face of the lower cover 12 and the upper cover 13 is supported to the lower cover 12 by those hooks. Inside surface of the upper cover 13, a cantilever type elastic piece 25 is made to protrude to the downward, and the elastic piece 25 is deformed elastically by pressing a pressed part 25c by an upper edge of the lower cover 12 when the upper cover 13 is installed to the lower cover 12. Since the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 receives a force to the direction of being separated relatively by an elastic leaving force generated in the elastic piece 25, both hook faces of the rock arm 19 and the rock part 21 and both hook faces of the rock piece 18 and the rock lug part 20 are supported elastically with facing each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electrical junction box.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, as an electric connection box mounted on an automobile, there is known a structure in which a cover is attached to a main body of a connection box equipped with electric parts, one example of which is JP-A-6-6927. It is described in. This one is
As shown in FIG. 9, a substantially box-shaped back cover 1 having an open top surface
A connection box in which a wiring board assembly 2 in which a bus bar 2b is assembled on an insulating substrate 2a is laminated, and a front cover 3 having a connector housing 3a for coupling electrical components such as a relay are sequentially housed. The main body 4 is covered with a waterproof cover 5 to close the opening on the upper surface thereof. The lock structure of the waterproof cover 5 is composed of a lock arm 6 protruding downward from a side edge portion of the waterproof cover 5 and a lock protrusion 7 protruding on an outer surface of the back cover 1 for attaching the waterproof cover 5. Accordingly, the lock arm 6 is elastically deformed while riding on the lock projection 7, and then returns to be locked by the lock projection 7.

[0003]

The back cover 1 and the waterproof cover 5 of the junction box body 4 are both made of synthetic resin. Therefore, the finish of the molded product may vary due to the influence of dimensional errors during molding. In that case, when the waterproof cover 5 is attached to the back cover 1, a gap may be formed between the locking surfaces of the lock arm 6 and the lock projection 7, and the waterproof cover 5 may rattle. It was Therefore, there is a problem in that abnormal noise is generated due to the influence of vibration or the like. The present invention was completed in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to suppress rattling of a cover.

[0004]

As a means for achieving the above object, the invention of claim 1 is one in which a cover is attached to a connection box body equipped with electric parts such as a relay, The connection box body and the cover are provided with locking means that can be held in the mounted state by being locked with each other. At least one of the connection box body and the cover has a cover. When the cover is attached to the main body of the connection box, the cover and the main body of the connection box are urged in a direction to relatively separate them, so that the locking portions of the locking means can be elastically held in a contact state. It is characterized in that it is configured to have a biasing means. The invention according to claim 2 is the one according to claim 1, wherein the cover and the connection box body are made of synthetic resin, and the urging means is an elastic member integrally formed with the connection box body or the cover. It is characterized by being composed of one piece.

[0005]

<Invention of Claim 1><Invention of Claim 1> When the cover is attached to the connection box body, the connection box body and the cover are urged by the urging means so as to be relatively separated from each other. The locking portions can be elastically held in a state where they are in contact with each other without a gap. This allows
It is possible to suppress rattling between the main body of the junction box and the cover, and it is possible to reduce generation of abnormal noise due to vibration or the like. <Invention of Claim 2> The number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where the biasing means is provided separately from the connection box body or the cover.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the first embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the relay block 10 (hereinafter, referred to as R / B 10) is illustrated.

The R / B 10 is, as shown in FIG.
1, a lower cover 12 having an upper surface opened to accommodate the main body 11, and an upper cover 13 for closing an opening portion of the lower cover 12, which are each made of a synthetic resin material. In addition, in this embodiment, the main body 11 and the lower cover 12 configure the connection box body described in the claims, and the upper cover 13 configures the cover described in the claims.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 11 is formed in a horizontally long plane shape. On the upper surface of the main body 11, a relay mounting portion 14 for mounting a relay R (a part of which is shown by a chain line in FIG. 1) mainly on the left end side and the upper right position in FIG.
And a fuse mounting portion 15 for mounting various fuses F (mini fuses, fusible links, etc., some of which are shown by chain lines in FIG. 1) between them. Each of the mounting parts 14 and 15 has a terminal fitting fixed to the end of the electric wire (a part thereof is a bus bar or a relay terminal).
Is inserted from the lower surface side and accommodated, and each mounting portion 14, 15
It is designed to be connected to the terminal of the relay R or the fuse F mounted on the. A male connector portion 16 is provided at the lower right corner of the upper surface of the main body 11. In this male connector portion 16, male side terminal fittings (not shown) connected to the mounting portions 14 and 15 side are mounted, and a female connector for power supply connected to the power source side from above. (Not shown) can be fitted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the main body 11 is entirely housed in the lower cover 12 from above. The lower cover 12
The body 11 is formed in a horizontally long deep bowl shape, and the main body 11 housed inside is held by a predetermined holding means (not shown) at a position where its upper surface is substantially flush with the upper surface of the lower cover 12. It has become. On the outer peripheral surface of the lower cover 12, a flange 17 for receiving the upper cover 13 is formed so as to extend over substantially the entire circumference.

In the opening portion on the upper surface side of the lower cover 12,
When the upper cover 13 is attached, it is closed. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the upper cover 13 is formed in a shape like a horizontally long deep bowl that is turned down. The lower end opening edge of the upper cover 13 is fitted to the outer side of the lower cover 12 and the upper surface of the flange 17 is fitted. It can be attached while striking. A lock piece 18 is provided on the short side portion on the left side in FIG. 2 of the upper cover 13, and a lock arm 19 is provided on the short side portion on the right side. The lock piece 18 and the lock arm 19 are provided on the lock protrusion 2 corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the lower cover 12.
The upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 can be retained in a state of being prevented from coming off from the lower cover 12 by being elastically locked to the 0 and the lock portion 21, respectively.

More specifically, the lock piece 18 is formed in a U-shaped cross section by connecting the lower ends of a pair of arms projecting downward from the lower edge of the upper cover 13 to the side (upper cover). 13 is elastically deformable in a direction intersecting the mounting direction of the lower cover 12). The lock protrusion 20 is provided on the flange 17 of the outer surface of the lower cover 12.
It is arranged at a lower position than that and is formed so as to project laterally beyond the flange 17, and the connecting portion of the lock piece 18 can be locked to the lower surface side thereof. The lock arm 19 is formed in a cantilever shape having an L-shaped cross-section, which projects laterally from the upper edge of the upper cover 13 and then bends downward, and is elastically deformable laterally. At the lower end position of the outer surface of the lock arm 19, a locking projection 22 is laterally projected. The lock portion 21 can receive the lock arm 19 inside by connecting the protruding ends of a pair of pieces protruding from the side surface of the lower cover 12. At the upper edge of the connecting portion of the lock portion 21, a claw portion 23 that can be locked by the upper surface of the locking protrusion 22 of the lock arm 19
Are formed. A pair of ribs 24 are provided side by side on both sides of the lock arm 19 over the entire length thereof.

As shown in FIG. 3, an elastic piece 25 which can elastically contact the upper edge of the lower cover 12 is integrally formed on the inner surface of the upper cover 13. The elastic piece 25 is formed in a cantilever shape projecting inward from a position lower than the ceiling surface of the upper cover 13 by a predetermined height, and its thickness dimension is about 1/3 of the thickness of the peripheral wall of the upper cover 13. It is said that. The elastic piece 25 protrudes obliquely downward so that the base portion 25a thereof gradually separates from the inner side surface of the upper cover 13, the intermediate portion 25b extends substantially parallel to the inner side surface of the upper cover 13, and the pressed portion 25c on the free end side is formed. The tip is formed so as to project obliquely downward so that the tip approaches the inner surface of the upper cover 13. One elastic piece 25 is provided on the short side portion of the inner surface of the upper cover 13, and two elastic piece 25 is provided on the long side portion. The lower surface of the pressed portion 25c of each elastic piece 25 is on the lower cover 12. It is arranged to face the edge.

Then, each elastic piece 25 corresponds to the upper cover 1.
As 3 is attached to the lower cover 12, the pressed portion 25c is pressed upward by the upper edge portion of the lower cover 12, so that the pressed portion 25c is elastically deformable while approaching the base portion 25a side. The elastic force allows the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 to be urged in a direction in which they are relatively separated from each other.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. An example of the assembly procedure is as follows. After accommodating the main body 11 with the terminal fittings and the like housed in the lower cover 12 from above, the relay R and the fuse F are attached to the respective attachment portions 14 and 15 of the main body 11, while the female connector is attached to the male connector portion 16. Fit the parts. Then, lower cover 12
The upper cover 13 is put on from above.

The opening edge of the upper cover 13 is connected to the lower cover 1.
When the upper cover 13 is pushed downward while being fitted to the outer side of the lock arm 19, the lock arm 19 has the locking protrusion 22.
It is elastically deformed inward by being pressed inward by the first claw portion 23, and the lock piece 18 is elastically deformed outward by riding on the lock protrusion 20. Then, when the upper cover 13 is attached to the lower cover 12 to a regular depth, the opening edge of the upper cover 13 is abutted against the upper surface of the flange 17, and the lock arm 1
In No. 9, the locking projection 22 reaches below the claw 23 and elastically returns so that the upper surface of the locking projection 22 is locked to the lower surface of the claw 23, and the lock piece 18 locks the lock projection 20. By overcoming and elastically returning, the upper surface of the connecting portion is locked by the lock projection 20.
Is locked to the lower surface of the (see FIG. 4). As a result, the upper cover 13 is held in the retaining state with the opening of the lower cover 12 closed.

In the mounting process of the upper cover 13 (before the regular mounting), the pressed portion 25c of the elastic piece 25 is abutted against the upper edge of the lower cover 12, and the upper cover 13 is mounted from that state. As the operation proceeds, the pressed portion 25c of the elastic piece 25 is pressed upward by the upper edge of the lower cover 12. By this pressing, the elastic piece 2
5, the pressed portion 25c has a base portion 25a while accumulating elastic force.
It is elastically deformed while approaching the side. And this elastic piece 2
Due to the resilience of 5, the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 1
2 is urged in a direction in which it is relatively separated.

By the way, since the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 are both made of synthetic resin, the finish of the molded product may vary due to the influence of dimensional errors during molding. Therefore, for example, in a state where the upper cover 13 is properly attached to the lower cover 12, there may be a gap between the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 as shown in FIG. However, even when such a gap is generated, the elastic pieces 25 urge the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 in a direction in which they are relatively separated from each other, as shown in FIG. As described above, the locking surfaces of the lock arm 19 and the lock portion 21, and the lock piece 18 and the lock projection 2
It is possible to elastically hold the locking surfaces with 0 in contact with each other without a gap. In other words, the upper cover 13 is elastically supported by the elastic pieces 25 at a position that is floated with respect to the lower cover 12 by a gap between the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12. Therefore, the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 are prevented from rattling, and the occurrence of abnormal noise due to the influence of vibration can be reduced.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
Since the elastic piece 25 provided on the upper cover 13 urges the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 in a state of being attached to each other in a direction to relatively separate them, the lock arm 19, the lock piece 18, the lock portion 21, The locking surfaces of the lock projection 20 and the locking projections 20 can be elastically held in a state of being in contact with each other, so that rattling that occurs between the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 is suppressed, and abnormal noise due to vibration or the like is generated. Occurrence can be reduced.

Moreover, since the elastic piece 25 is integrally formed with the synthetic resin upper cover 13, the upper cover 1
Compared with the case where the elastic piece 25 is provided separately from 3, and the elastic piece 25 is attached to the upper cover 13, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

<Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, a case in which the elastic piece 26 has a double-sided support will be exemplified. Elastic piece 2
6 is a pair of bases 26 formed in a gentle crank shape.
a is connected to the ceiling surface of the upper cover 13,
Both base portions 26a are connected to the substantially U-shaped pressed portion 26b that is curved like a hairpin, respectively, so that the base portion 26a is formed in a cantilevered shape as a whole. The elastic piece 26 is the upper cover 1
While being arranged at a predetermined interval from the inner surface of 3,
It is arranged so as to face the upper edge of the lower cover 12. When the upper cover 13 is attached to the lower cover 12, the elastic piece 26 has the pressed portion 26b.
By being pushed upward by the upper edge part of both base parts 26a
The end portion of the side that is connected to the pressed portion 26b is elastically deformed while approaching the ceiling surface side of the upper cover 13.

By thus forming the elastic piece 26 in a double-sided shape, the elastic force generated due to the elastic deformation can be increased, so that the rattling of the upper cover 13 and the lower cover 12 can be effectively controlled. be able to. The other structures, operations, and effects are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

<Third Embodiment> A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this 3rd Embodiment, the case where the elastic piece 27 is provided in the lower cover 12 side is illustrated. The elastic piece 27 is formed in a cantilever shape protruding upward from the upper edge portion of the lower cover 12. The elastic piece 27 is
The base portion 27a extends substantially straight from the upper edge portion of the lower cover 12 along the inner surface of the upper cover 13, and the pressed portion 27b on the free end side is directed obliquely upward so as to be gradually separated from the inner surface of the upper cover 13. Is formed. The elastic piece 27 is arranged to face the ceiling surface of the upper cover 13. When the upper cover 13 is attached to the lower cover 12, the elastic piece 27 is elastically deformed while the pressed portion 27b is displaced downward by the pressed portion 27b being pressed downward by the ceiling surface of the upper cover 13. It In addition, other structures, actions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.
Since it is the same as the embodiment, the duplicated description will be omitted.

<Fourth Embodiment> A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this 4th Embodiment, the case where the elastic piece 28 is arrange | positioned at the outer peripheral side of the lower cover 12 is illustrated. A pair of elastic pieces 28 are provided so as to project laterally from the outer peripheral surface of the short side portion of the lower cover 12. Both elastic pieces 28 are formed in a flat plate shape, and are arranged so as to face the lock arm 19 and the lock piece 18 of the upper cover 13, respectively. Elastic piece 28 on the lock arm 19 side
Is protruded directly from the flange 17, whereas the elastic piece 28 on the lock piece 18 side is protruded at a position below the flange 17. Upper cover 13 to lower cover 12
The elastic pieces 28 are elastically deformed downward by being pressed by the lock arms 19 and the lower ends of the lock pieces 18, respectively. The other structures, operations, and effects are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition to the above, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the above-described embodiment, the elastic piece is integrally formed with the upper cover or the lower cover. However, the elastic piece may be separately formed and attached later. Further, as a biasing means, in addition to the elastic piece made of synthetic resin described above,
For example, a metal spring (coil spring, leaf spring, etc.) or an elastic rubber material can be used. (2) In the above embodiment, R / B is illustrated, but the present invention is also applicable to other electrical connection boxes such as a junction box (J / B).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a main body is housed in a lower cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an upper cover.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing a lower cover accommodating a main body and an upper cover.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state in which the upper cover and the lower cover are attached to a regular depth when a gap is created between them.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state in which the upper cover and the lower cover are supported by the elastic piece without a gap.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state where an elastic piece according to a second embodiment of the present invention is pressed by an upper edge portion of a lower cover.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state where the elastic piece according to the third embodiment of the present invention is pressed by the ceiling surface of the upper cover.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view showing a state in which an elastic piece according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is pressed by a lock arm and a rib of an upper cover.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... R / B (electrical junction box) 11… Main body (junction box body) 12 ... Lower cover (junction box body) 13 ... Upper cover (cover) 18 ... Lock piece (locking means) 19 ... Lock arm (locking means) 20 ... Lock protrusion (lock means) 21 ... Lock part (locking means) 25, 26, 27, 28 ... Elastic piece (biasing means) F: Fuse (electrical part) R ... Relay (electrical parts)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cover is attached to a connection box body equipped with electric parts such as a relay, and the connection box body and the cover can be held in an attached state by being locked to each other. A lock means is provided, at least one of the connection box body or the cover, the cover and the connection box body relative to each other as the cover is attached to the connection box body. An electric junction box is provided, which is provided with an urging means capable of elastically holding the locking portions of the locking means in the abutting state by urging the pulling direction. 2. The cover and the connection box main body are made of synthetic resin, and the urging means is composed of an elastic piece integrally formed with the connection box main body or the cover. The electrical junction box according to claim 1.